WATCH: FF Plus says they will approach high court to end lockdown
FF Plus leader Pieter Groenewald says the party wants to know the reason behind the continuation of the lockdown.
Peter Marais, the Freedom Front Plus’ candidate for Western Cape premier, left, and party leader, Pieter Groenewald.Brendan Magaar/African News Agency(ANA).
The Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) announced on Thursday that it will approach the high court to challenge the validity of the lockdown.
FF Plus leader Pieter Groenewald said the party would ask the court to find that government was abusing the lockdown under the national Disaster Management Act.
“The president said the initial lockdown period was a success, but still the government continues with strict lockdown regulations, therefore the FF Plus will approach the court on an urgent basis to declare the further lockdown regulations as unconstitutional,” he said.
Groenewald said the party wanted to know the reason behind the continuation of the lockdown.
“We want to all know what the reasons are, what the information is, the government is based its further extension of the lockdown regulations. We say these regulations are draconian and therefore we will go to court,” he said.
The leader further said that the government was misusing the national Disaster Management Act to avoid accountability towards parliament.
“In practice, we are in a state of emergency… the Constitution then determines that the government must get approval from parliament and all regulations must be approved by parliament.
“We also say the balance of public interest between curbing the spread of the virus and unlocking the economy to prevent the loss of livelihoods and subsequently lives should come into play,” he added.
FF PLUS will go to court on an urgent basis to put an end to lockdown. @GroenewaldPJ #COVID19SA #LockdownSA pic.twitter.com/qaaLZrZFpW
— VRYHEIDSFRONT PLUS / FREEDOM FRONT PLUS (@VFPlus) May 14, 2020
The FF Plus joins the Democratic Alliance (DA) after leader John Steenhuisen also announced the court action his party will take to end the lockdown that he claims has been “tearing the society and economy to pieces”.
The DA’s lawyers will file papers in the high court challenging the rationality of the night curfew, restrictions on e-commerce and the limited three-hour window for exercise.
Meanwhile, Western Cape Premier Alan Winde also said the province must move to Level 3 as soon as possible, preferably before the end of May, despite it being the biggest Covid-19 hotspot in the country.
(Compiled by Molefe Seeletsa)
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